Ashes Ashes
by Frigg Song
Summary: We all fall down..... Main Pairing: Sasu/Hina
1. Haunted

**Disclaimer:** Sad to admit, but I am horrifically lacking in the ownage of Naruto or any of its characters.

**Note:** Hey guys! This is just a little something that popped into my noggin' a couple days ago, and hasn't left.

Review Review Review!

Prolog: Haunted

_Ring around the rosy_

_Pockets full of posies_

_Ashes Ashes_

_We all fall down..._

Opal eyes snapped open with a gasp, a pale hand finding it's way to feel the pounding heart beneath her breast. She shook her head of indigo locks, the tinkling echo of children's play still resonating strong in the recesses of her mind.

How long would those voices of the past haunt her? How long would they plague her dreams, riddling her somnolent with regret? What purpose did it serve to continually reminisce on what she lost after the sickness swept her country?

She shuddered, pulling the goose feather quilt tighter around her shoulders as the prismatic images of fire, rotting cattle, flies, and death flashed before her minds eye. So many had perished. The disease did not discriminate friend from foe, and none were spared the poisonous licks of boils, blood and bile.

And yet she remained; lingered on in an age of unrest. The bitter taste of hopelessness weighed heavy on her tongue, stifling the dry sobs tearing at her throat. Her pillow absorbed the silent tears once again, for the shadows of night were her only reprieve.

Darkness to hide tears; cloth to suffocate cries; and stars to carry the burden of a hundred empty wishes.

But when the rooster crowed and the sun spilled over the horizon lightening the world anew, none would ever guess that she, Hinata Hyuuga, was haunted.

* * *

**A/N:** Don't get discouraged by the depressing/confusing start. It will get happier, I assure you. But feedback would be blissful!


	2. Entitlement

**Disclaimer:** There are times when I like to pretend that I own Naruto, and then I realize how sad it is dreaming, so I just write fanfiction......

**Note:** This is a time-period piece, and I've taken creative license with some of the lesser known characters of Naruto, in this particular chapter, Sasuke's father. Specifically the part where he's even alive....

Please review, I would really like to get some feedback!

Chapter One: Entitlement

The Viscount Sasuke Uchiha regarded his birthday gift with certain unease. Onyx eyes fell sideways at the companion to his left, a well-groomed brow lifting in question.

"Land, father?" He bit the inside of his cheek in order to control the disappointment weighing heavy on his tongue. "You give me a piece of land in honor of my coming of age."

Fugaku Uchiha, most recently entitled Earl of Konoha, a epithet granted by the King himself in light of Fugaku's continuous fealty to the Crown, turned to his son, a knowing gleam in his eye.

"Not just land, Sasuke. You must look beyond what your eyes perceive, and gaze upon this soil as it should be." The Earl smiled at his son's poorly stifled guffaw, tightening his grip on the reigns of the thoroughbred that shuffled its hooves upon rocky hillside beneath him.

"And what, precisely, is it that I am suppose to see without using my eyes?" Sasuke bantered, squinting his eyes while tilting his head to and fro. The Earl barked out a short laugh before turning his face heavenward.

"Opportunity." Fugaku closed his own onyx eyes, a trademark of all the Uchiha clan, and inhaled the sultry air of the Konoha summer; a swirling collaboration of rain, damp foliage, and wild lisianthus. He lowered his gaze to his son, a wistful smile crinkling the crow's feet of his eyes. "This land is yours to do with as you wish. Sell it, burn it, farm it, whatever your hearts desire, Sasuke. I believe Itachi built his personal stables on his land when he came of age." The Earl added with a hint of pride.

The Viscount brushed an errant lock of unruly ebony from his brow, a furrow marring his handsome features. He was not Itachi.

"No stipulations? Just this," He motioned to the grassy, rock speckled countryside before him with a nonchalant wave.

"My scouts have informed me of a small village just over the ridge near the river." Fugaku nodded to the North. "A humble collection of farmers and traders left over from the infection. They have been informed of the change in ownership by letter," He continued with a pointed glance at his son, "And until further notice, are expected to pay taxes to you."

"Taxes?" Sasuke scoffed. "What manner of value can a meager borough of simple farmers and freed slaves bring me? A bale of hay?" The Viscount rolled his eyes, the contempt he held for the lower class tainting every word with a sting of malice. "Or perhaps a chicken?" He sneered, ignoring his father's frown.

"The method of payment is for you to decide, Sasuke. As I've said, this is all yours now. Do with it as you will, but," Fugaku rebuked, "Do not mock their standing, such ill conduct is beneath you."

Sasuke shifted in the saddle, uncomfortably aware of his father's respect for the commonality that swarmed the land like a plague of locusts. Such sentiment, in his eyes, was wasted.

What good were the peasants for other than tilling the land and herding the cattle? They knew nothing of propriety, nothing of nobility and true responsibility. Their days were filled with unwashed bodies and godless musings.

A warm drop of water splattering against his cheek tore him from his thoughts. Sasuke chanced a look up at the churning, grey overcast heavily pregnant with rain. Next to him, Fugaku followed suit and tsked at the threatening weather.

"Kami bless your mother, Sasuke, but her temper is one to dissuade the devil himself. Mikoto will never forgive me if I allow you to catch a chill. Best we return to the estate." The Earl grinned at his son before tugging the reigns and turning the horse back to the East. Fugaku kicked the steed into a brisk canter, a trail of disturbed mud and grass settling in his wake.

Sasuke paused and squinted once more, the countryside before him blurring into an indistinguishable mess of cringe-worthy uselessness. He blinked his vision back into focus with a heavy sigh, heeling his horse after his father.

"Hn. Some opportunity." The Viscount sneered with one last glance over his shoulder catching sight of a faint column of chimney smoke curling lazily skyward from somewhere beyond the ridge.

* * *

**A/N**: Reviews would be wonderful! I would like to know if there are any out there reading this story. Sorry if you don't like my interpretation of Fugaku, but I wanted to make him some what likable. Yes, Itachi will be making an appearance! *fangirl squeal*

I realize the chapters are relatively short, but they will get longer, I'm just introducing the characters at this point, setting up for the plot and all that....

Plus if I get _one_ review, just _one_ (Yes I'm willing to risk my pride and shamelessly beg) I'll post the next chapter today, and that one has Hinata in it : )


	3. The Right

**Disclaimer:** Nope, I do not own Naruto.....

**Note:** See I told you, one review and I would post the next chapter today! *pats self on back* This one features a few characters you might recognize....

Hope you like it!

Oh, and I just want to say thank you to my reviewers, So Happily Unsatisfied and Soraea.

Chapter Two: The Right

"You can't make it go away, Hina, no matter how hard you glare at it." Ino chided, brushing a dirty blonde strand of hair away from her sweat-beaded brow. It was a particularly muggy day, making either of the tiny cottages, seemingly overlapping save the thin strip of grass running in-between the stone structures, simply unbearable to lounge in.

"Perhaps not, Ino." The petite bluette perched on the fence that ran parallel through her yard, separating her land from that of her friend and confidants own plot, conveyed with a bereft roll of her opal eyes, "But if some manner of savagery should befall this damnable letter, I would certainly not be adverse to it." Hinata cursed, balling the offending parchment and throwing it down into the dirt. The young farming woman of 19 summers swung her legs freely, picking at the mud that caked her nails from that mornings harvest duties.

Ino arched her brow playfully. An impish grin twisted up the corners of her mouth as she pulled a freshly dried shirt from the clothesline and folded it.

"You mean the same manner of savagery that befell the courier of said letter?" The elder, blue-eyed green-thumb watched amusedly as Hina's face proceeded to scrunch crossly, a flush of cherry pooling in her cheeks. "What _was_ his name again?" Ino pressed, tapping her chin in feigned thought. "Ah yes, Ebisu." She snapped.

"Oh!" Hinata jumped down from her perch and stalked over to her neighbor. "That-That _man_, if you could call him one," She spat pointing an accusing finger a Ino, who placed a hand over her mouth to stifle her giggle of astonishment at the abrupt outburst, "Got off easily if you ask me! Did you not see the haunty way he swaggered in here, frowning down his nose at us as if we were the very manure that spotted the streets? And Then!" Hinata threw up her hands, narrowly avoiding stepping on a chicken during her ranting pace,

"He had the audacity to offer me his bed for the evening! His **Bed**!" She screeched. "Nevermind that he was the ugliest bugger I've ever had the displeasure of laying eyes on."

"Quite so, luv, but do you really think that pushing him into the well was the best course of action? He was a man of the law you know, and as such, you're lucky to have not ended up in the stocks.....Again." Ino added, absently rubbing her swollen belly, the thought of the life growing within making her smile unconsciously despite her scolding tone. Her younger companion came down from the melodramatic tantrum and placed her hand over Ino's, sighing happily when feeling the baby kick.

"You're right. Perhaps that was a tad irrational, if not at the very least hygienically unsound." Hinata paused thoughtfully, her nose scrunching. "What are we suppose to drink now that our water is tainted by that mans stink?" The blonde shrugged, turning back to the clothes waiting to be taken down from the line.

"We'll just boil it as we always do."

"Filth like that can't simply be boiled out of water, Ino." The Hyuuga muttered, reaching up to pull down a sheet to fold, only to have her hand smacked away.

"Don't. You. Dare." Ino bit, with a pointed glare at Hina's dirt riddled hands. Hinata cradled her stinging appendage to her chest, sticking her tongue out at the older woman.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." A familiar languid inflection teased. "She's likely to rip it out if you give her the chance." Ino narrowed her ocean blue eyes as Hina shared a conspiring laugh with the new addition, at her expense.

"I should've ripped out yours long ago, maybe then I'd be spared your poorly executed ridicule."

"Is that any way to greet your husband?" Shikamaru cocked his head, his warm brown eyes glowing with bored mirth. He held open his arms towards his spitfire wife who turned to level him with a cold glare. A few moments passed before Hinata shrugged, stepping into Shikamaru Nara's embrace, blatantly ignoring the spark of jealousy flaring in Ino's eyes.

"At least someone's happy to see me." The Nara sighed, the deep timbre making his whole body shake.

"Oh, sod off." Ino pushed Hina out of her husbands embrace, and placed his corded arms around her very pregnant waist. She placed a chaste kiss upon Shikamaru's stubbled cheek, running a calloused hand through his unruly dark brown hair. "Your home early."

"Yes." Shika's face becoming serious. "I bring word of our new proprietor."

"Ha!" Hina huffed patting down her work attire made up of her fathers old leggings and weatherworn shirt. One couldn't exactly farm in a dress now could they.

Shikamaru raised an amused brow, "I take it you've heard?"

"Of course I've heard!" Hina spat. In the foreground Ino rolled her eyes, mentally preparing for yet another ta-

"In fact, whoever it is, was kind enough to send us a letter hand delivered by his majesty's _most_ _perverse_!" Hina scraped. Shikamaru gave his wife a puzzled glance, which she of course shrugged off, going back to her laundry. "Can you believe the nerve of those noblemen? Prancing around in their fluffy collars! They wouldn't know the meaning of hard labor if it beat their cushioned asses with a stick."

"She's not to happy about it then." Shikamaru murmured to his wife.

"He writes us a letter, and expects us to just _fall_ under his rule? I. Think. Not!" The Hyuuga held her head rebelliously. The words of her conviction flowing like the river that cut through her lands. "Last time I checked, I was free, and to hell with it if one man thinks he can take that away from me! I've bled for this land! Those fields are sown with my tears and reaped by my hands. Damn it all if some hoity-toity, fork using, Noble-_fairy_ is going to say he has the _right_ to tax me for the right to live!"

With that said, Hinata turned heel and stalked back to her yard, an aura of inflexible animosity poisoning the air about her indigo crown.

"I wonder how she truly feels," Shikamaru mused dryly earning him a smack on the arm from his wife. "Troublesome woman…"

"Hina's is right you know." Ino watched the bluette storm into her cottage, only to storm back out of it seconds later, her straw hat shoved down onto her head. The younger woman disappeared behind her dwelling, most likely to hitch up her ox, Hampton, in order to plough out her frustration. "That girl has lost so much, and now she may lose the right to farm the only memory of her family she has." Ino shook her head sadly. The past was always a sensitive thing, especially where Hina was concerned.

"Good thing I didn't tell her then." Shikamaru sighed, wrapping his arms around his wife's shoulders and bringing her back to his chest. He rested his chin on her shoulder, placing a soft kiss on the smooth column of her neck.

"Tell her what?" Ino closed her eyes, covering his arms with her own and relishing the affectionate embrace.

"Well, that he's coming." Ino's eyes snapped open, she turned to face her lover.

"Who?"

"The one who now owns this land, Viscount Uchiha. He's coming to 'inspect'" Shikamaru finger quoted, "His new property. He'll be in the village tomorrow."

"Oh dear."

* * *

**A/N:** Yeah, Hinata is OOC, but there is a reason for that and it will become clear in the future when we start delving into her past..... Does that make sense?

And yes Ino and Shikamaru are married and having a baby. It took me awhile of mental debate of whether or not to have them already so involved this early, but in the end, it's what works out best for my plot line.

**Reviews are wonderful!** It's easy, just click that really big green worded button down at the bottom there, and type away!


	4. Haunted Still

**Disclaimer:** Naruto is owned by someone. And that someone makes a lot of money, lives in a big house, probably owns many dogs, drives a really nice car and throws ridiculously overpriced parties. That someone is defiantly not me..... I'm a cat person.

**Note:** This chapter could be construed as a filler, but it hints on a bit of Hinata's past and what not. Also establishes (sort of) a link between two specific people that will be addressed as the story goes on.

Thanks again for those who reviewed last chapter; So Happily Unsatisfied and Dumdeedum. Oh and thanks to all those who put Ashes Ashes on their story alerts. I appreciate the support!

Interlude: Haunted Still

She sat up, a palm going to her forehead as the rest of her body continued to tremble in lingering misery. While one hand wiped away the sweat lining her brow, the other swatted the darkness, blindly searching for the quilt she had lost at some point during the night.

Hinata pulled the thick blanket up to her chin, shivers racking her frame despite the mid-summer humidity weighing heavy in the air. She leaned back against the stonewall, the straw mattress shifting beneath her with soft crinkles of protest.

The young woman sniffed, brushing aside the tears that collected in the corners of her opal eyes, threatening to fall down her cheeks as they had so many nights before. She shifted her gaze to the pale shaft of moonlight breaking through the frayed wooden cover of her bedside window. The alien light pooled upon the dirty ground at the foot of her meager cot.

Within the incandescent puddle, the ghosts of her past coalesced in a swirling mist. The dusky phantoms of two little girls holding hands, giggling as they skipped in circles danced before her. Beneath their callow grins, their heart-shaped lips moved, chanting in naive glee;

_Ring around the rosy_

_Pockets full of posies_

_Ashes ashes_

"We all fall down." Hinata croaked, releasing a torrent of hacking sobs into her quilt. The haunting specters melted back into the shadows, leaving her alone to collapse in despair.

Leagues away, a pair of onyx eyes snapped open.

* * *

**A/N: **Not to confusing I hope. I've been laid up sick for the passed couple days and with nothing to do, I've been writing, so there will probably be another chapter out fairly quickly....

I'm eager to start introducing more characters!

**Review_s_ are wonderful in so many ways!**


	5. Unwanted

**Disclaimer:** I can't admit to owning Naruto by law of copyright or some nonsense like that. Stupid laws, who needs 'em…

**Note:** Sorry for the slight delay, my flu to a little turn for the worse and I was laid up in bed rest for the last two days. Blah!

I just want to say thanks to So Happily Unsatisfied, Breathoflavender, and Inaz for reviewing last chapter!

Chapter Three: Unwanted

Sasuke rubbed his blurry eyes, shoulders sagging with fatigue as he made his way down the stone steps and into the dining hall.

"My goodness, Sasuke," A familiar lyrical tone cooed, "You look like death warmed over." Mikoto Uchiha wiped her mouth with the pressed linen napkin, before taking a tentative sip of her tea. The light pooling in from the large pair of windows making up half of the East wall made Sasuke squint, a hand running through his bed-raggled locks. His face was more pale and drawn than normal; purple circles smearing under his onxy eyes leaving a drooping residue of baggy skin.

"Hn." The Viscount yawned, stalking over to the table, predatorily eyeing the bounty of fruits (namely a certain red favorite), meats, and fresh-baked rolls. The culmination of mouth water smells hitting all his senses at once.

Mikoto smiled warmly, accustomed to her sons morning temperament, offering her cheek to her son. Sasuke placed a chaste kiss on the pale cheekbone, before taking his seat to her left. He flicked open a napkin and placed it on his lap, reaching over and grabbing a tomato from a decorative ceramic bowl.

The large hall was unnaturally quiet, as it usually was in the mornings. Tapestries blanketed the walls, each depicting a scene from battles passed and/or event of some historical significance to his family name. The floors were smoothed, polished stone, mostly covered with lush carpets except a few mazes in-between where the servants were expected to walk with food trays as to avoid tripping. The chandelier of candles hanging from the cathedral ceiling remained unlit, letting the natural light of the sunrise fill the room in warm incandescent waves.

"And where is father this early?" Sasuke cleared his throat, glancing half-heartedly at the empty seat at the head of the table.

"He decided to go visit to your brother's parish, to see how Itachi is adjusting to the church."

Sasuke hummed nonchalantly into his glass of orange juice, his thoughts straying to his older brother briefly before returning to the day's journey. He groaned, the sound bouncing off the empty walls drawing a worried look from Mikoto.

"Are you sure you're alright, dear." She placed a cool palm on his forehead. Sasuke allowed himself to relish the softness of her touch for a moment. "You don't seem to be running a fever." She tsked, eyes roving over his face in worry.

The Viscount batted his mother's hand away, "I'm fine mother. Just dreading my visit to that backwoods village today." Sasuke scathed. "Why on earth did father purchase me peasants for my birthday? Surely he knew that I would've gotten much better use out of a new horse."

Mikoto smiled wistfully at her son, ignoring the belittling scorn he turned to when referring to the lower class.

"Come now, Sasuke." She patted him on the knee, "Your father knew what he was doing when he got you that gift. His father did it for him, and his father before that and so on and so forth."

Sasuke rolled his black eyes languidly, taking another drink. "Great, I'm the newest victim of an archaic practice."

Mikoto giggled, a sound the loveliest bells of the church could not hold a candle too. "Perhaps, but give it a chance. You may learn something."

"What? How to catch a chicken?" Sasuke sneered, pushing his plate away, only the faint red juice pooling in the center evidence of his meal.

Mikoto grinned before sighing. "Who knows? It just so happens that Anko, our cook, has a sister who lives there and she visits her often. Maybe you can ask her about it before you leave, hm?"

The Viscount stiffened for a moment, the image of the Uchiha family's not-so-sane cook flashing forefront. Not much was known about Anko Mitarashi except for her affinity for sweets and deadly accuracy with kitchen utensils. A small silence befell the room, only the soft exhales of Mikoto and tinkling of china piercing the iron curtain.

Sasuke shrugged after a moment, excusing himself. "Another time, mother. I must be on my way if I want to get there and back before noon."

"But that only gives you an hour to explore your property?" Mikoto protested with a wash of abashment.

"What could that manner of commonality possibly hold to gain my attentions for more than an that?"

"You _are_ in a rare mood." Mikoto chastised. Sasuke sighed, rubbing away the winkle in his furrowed brow.

"Forgive me mother." He bent down and kissed her on the cheek once more, turning to leave. But before he stepped through the threshold leading out into one of the many hallways, he paused, glancing back at the dining table. Mikoto looked up at her son, meeting is questioning stare.

"Yes, Sasuke, what is it?"

"Did you happen to hear crying last night?" His onyx eyes drifted over her shoulder, glazing over with the memory of that eerie melody of sorrow that haunted the outskirts of his dreams.

"No." Mikoto shook her head. She sighed. "Are you sure you're well enough to travel today, you seem a bit distracted." The matriarch narrowed her eyes skeptically, a raven wing bang falling across her porcelain brow.

"Distracted." Sasuke repeated, his vision refocusing on the present, though ever aware of the tormented sobs that seemed to linger at every turn, ready to pounce to catch him unawares. He shook his crown of ebony locks. "No, I'm fine. I shall return later, mother. Good day."

"Good day." Mikoto bid farewell, fingers absently drumming on the table top in thought.

* * *

**A/N:** Sorry if this seemed a little drab to you, but there is a purpose behind that. I want to establish the underlying moral-of-the-story kind of deal that money can't buy happiness. As you'll come to see in the next chapter, though Hinata maybe considered poor, she's surrounded by vibrancy and a general love of life. Where as Sasuke as everything is little noble heart could desire and yet he is always alone in some aspect.

Get it? If not and that entire paragraph up there left you tilting your head in a state of 'Huh?' then just smile and nod.

Oh, yes I managed to mention Itachi! *Fangirl squeal!*

I hope you liked the chapter!

Review!


	6. Bazaar

**Disclaimer:** Seriously? Who _doesn't_ want to own the awesomeness that is Naruto and its characters? Unfortunately the only one who really does own the rights to Naruto is a lot richer than I am and can probably ninja-hack me to death, so yeah……

**Note:** BIG DELAY ACTION! SORRY! I didn't mean to disappear for so long on you guys; I blame that archaic, socially degrading right of passage some call 'School.' So don't hate _me_, hate the system…..

Oh and thank you to all those that reviewed!!

Chapter Four: Bazaar

"Auggh, I'm sweating like a _boar_ in this heat." Hinata groaned, lifting her skirts and fanning them about her legs. The tiny reprieve of cool breeze caused her to release a long sigh of relief.

Ino shifted in the rocking chair Shikamaru had set out for her under the overhang of the food stall, her eyes flicking downward at Hina's legs before returning to her needle work. Well what she liked to think of as needlework, but in reality is was nothing more than a glob of string haphazardly twisted into a shoddy resemblance of a child's foot; maybe her baby could just run around in the nude.

"Well, what do you expect when you wear trousers under your dress, hmm?"

Hinata followed her friend's gaze, frowning thoughtfully at the pant cuffs falling around her ankles, poorly hidden by the hem of her brown dress. "It doesn't feel right if I don't wear them. Beside, I don't mock you for wearing a pop tent out in public." The younger murmured keenly, earning an unamused brow-raise from the blonde.

"_Really_, Hina? I'm 8 months pregnant. What should I wear, a loin cloth?" Ino admonished with a sigh, rubbing her belly.

"_A loin cloth_..." The farmer shrilled under her breath, turning back to the frenzy of villagers bustling about.

The market square was buzzing with life this morning as it did every Friday, the day before holy Sabbath. Stalls of every sort and color lined the main road that circled around the humble community fountain, peddlers of various trades from agriculture, which Hina was here for, to jewelry, beckoned with grand waves and shouts of prices lower than their neighbor. Meanwhile visitors from nearby villages and weaved in and out of the fray, pointing out trinkets, haggling, laughing; simply happy to be finding some normalcy after years of darkness and death. Some of the merchants from Suna had even arrived earlier that morning, hauling carts of exotic spices and brightly inlayed scarves.

Hinata eyed her rather large buffet style table of variant foodstuffs. Her cucumbers and peas did particularly well this year, she smiled proudly. Next to the green veggies was a small bag of seed for those last minute corn farmers; beside that was a tray of eggs from her chicken coop, and bringing up the end of the table was Ino's hand-picked bouquets of lavender, daffodils, and bluebell. The smell was quite sweet, drifting steadily above the smell of sun stained bodies.

"Morning Miss Hina. Mrs. Nara." A rather short, bigheaded shadow fell over the front of the table. Hinata smiled, looking up from her thoughts and met Konohamaru Sarutobi's impish grin, the small gap between his front teeth whistling as he spoke. "So, what're two beautiful ladies like yourselves selling this fine morning?"

Hina snorted, earning her a glare from the hormonal green thumb.

"Konohamaru, where is your mother?" Ino asked wearily, eyeing the scrawny boy of 11 summers over her "needle work". Konohamaru's smile fell short; he rubbed his cheek leaving behind a gleaming smear of mud.

"She's over at Shiranui's table."

"Shiranui." Hina growled, opal orbs darting across the square and falling on a particularly bright stand of blue and yellow. As per usual, the Shiranui's were surrounded by the majority of morning customers. Genma Shiranui, 21 year old horses ass and privier of all things vulgar, caught her glare and winked. He smirked, waving over the heads of the mob. Hina narrowed her eyes.

"If that's how you want to play it, Genma, so be it." The farmer snarled under her breath. Behind her, Ino sighed giving Konohamaru an understanding smile.

"Perhaps it's best if you head on back, you wouldn't won't her to worr-"

"Oh, sod off, Ino, let the boy stay a moment." The 19 year old threw over her shoulder before diving under the tabletop. She rummaged around her bags, digging through various pockets before gasping in triumph. "Ah! Here we are." Hina stood, brushing off the dust from her dress with one hand and gripping blushing ripe apple in the other.

"Konohamaru?" Hina cooed drawing the boys wide brown eyes, which immediately honed in on the treat she tossed back and forth in her hands. His face turned to follow the fruit with each flick; the bewitching red, waxy skin calling to his stomach like a sirens song.

The Hyuuga's eyes flashed dangerously in the morning light. She hummed, reaching out her hand over the table, only to snap it back out of the boy's sight as his fingers stretched forth. Konohamaru pouted, shooting a poisonous glance at the farmer.

"Would you like this apple, Kono?"

The boy nodded fervently, his eyes never leaving the sinful fruit.

"Alright." Hina drawled tucking a stray bang behind her ear. "I'll give you this apple, but only," She pointed, "If you do something for me in return."

The small Sarutobi, scratched the back of his neck, eyes dancing between the delicious looking snack and Hinata's feline veneer. "Well?" The bluette tilted her head in expectance.

"I'm not sure that _this_ is the best idea, Hina." Ino warned.

"And why would that be?" The petite woman challenged the older blonde. Mrs. Nara paused, rolling her eyes.

"Fine, but if you end up in the stocks again..." The greenthumb trailed off, rocking away her worry. Truthfully, she didn't care what Hina had planned for the Shiranui's. That family deserved whatever was coming to them for they were notorious for undercutting many of the merchants including she. Not to mention the fact that each and every son; Genma, Raido, Izumo and Iwashi, had no more morals than a pile of shit and were just about as intelligent.

No, she was much more worried about the arrival of a certain Viscount. How would it look if his new subjects were running amuck sabotaging each other for petty foodstuffs and bribery? But she couldn't tell the bluette that. The last thing she needed was the fiery woman finding out about the visit of said Viscount and hauling off and strangling him the second he stepped foot into the square.

Attempted murder would tend to put a damper on landlord: tenant relations.

Hinata eyed Ino suspiciously for a few moments as if sensing the hidden meaning behind the blonde's caution. She slowly turned back to the contemplating boy, feigning impatience.

"What's it going to be, Kono. Yes or No?" Hina sighed. "You know, there are _many_ other little boys who would love to have this apple, _Udon_ perha-"

"Yes." Konohamaru whistled through his teeth.

"Excellent!" The farmer jumped with glee, running around the table and kneeling down to whisper in the boy's ear. His brown eyes widened, sparkling with a fiendish flame as he turned his round face to Hina, grinning in affirmation. "Okay, now go on." She nodded to the Shiranui's table. "And be quick about it!"

"I'd hate to ask." Ino tsked, watching Hinata walk back to her position behind her stall.

"Then don't." Hina winked at her friend before turning to welcome a customer with a charming smile.

* * *

**A/N: **Short? Yes. And I apologize, especially for the delay, gah, I just can't get over how long it's been since I've updated any of my stories!

Oh and the son's of Shiranui are actual Naruto characters (not related in the show obviously), but yeah they are there. Also with each chapter from here on I hope to introduce more and more characters from the actual show and weave them into the plot (some parts more significant than others.)

I hope you liked the chapter and would love to hear some feedback!

Review!


End file.
